Posted on: Monday, July 12, 2004

Maui pole vaulter falls short in trials

By Elliott Denman
Special to The Advertiser

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pole vaulter Robert "Bubba" McLean didn't clear a height.

But the 1997 St. Anthony (Maui) High School and 2002 University of California graduate didn't consider his three-miss performance in the USA Olympic Trials vault final yesterday a failure, either.

"I no-heighted today, but the frustrating part was that this was the best I've felt all year," McLean said.

"I was on the biggest pole I've been on, just got hit (by a gust of wind on his best attempt) on the takeoff and couldn't quite line it up.

"I had big height (with the bar set at 5.40 meters, or 17 feet, 8 1/2 inches) but came down on it.

"I think I was running faster than I ever have, so the bar was also coming up a little quicker.

"But that's great, that's OK, that's pole vaulting."

He'll soon be flying away to new challenges.

"I'm headed overseas on Wednesday," McLean said. "My first meet's going to be in Poland, then we'll be bouncing around, to wherever we can get in.

"I think I'm definitely ready to go. I'm peaking at a great time."

In McLean's rooting section at Sacramento State University's Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex were family members and his former high school coach, Al Duarte.

"Having them here for me, giving out Hawaiian cheers and everything, that was real cool," McLean said.

These days his specialty vault coach is Earl Bell, the former record-breaker whose vault school is located in Jonesboro, Ark.

"I moved down there in September and it's been paying off," he said.

"Sure, you didn't see it today, but I've been jumping way better than ever (including a best-ever clearance of 18-8› in a Jonesboro meet). Earl's just changed my pole vault career completely."

As a collegian, McLean was fifth at NCAA nationals and second in the Pac-10 his junior year at Cal, then eighth in Nationals as a senior.

"That junior year was pretty great because I was injured the year before and didn't jump at all," he said.

"Cooler than anything," though, to McLean yesterday was the sight of the other vaulters lining the runway to form an archway of honor for champion Tim Mack, who soared 5.90 meters (19-4 €).

"You just don't see anything like that happening in any other event," he said. "This event's like a fraternity. We share everything, the good and the bad."